Educause Security Discussion mailing list archives

Re: Active Phishing Attack Against EDUs


From: Shawn Shirley <sshirley () FERRUM EDU>
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2018 16:52:38 -0400

For your FYI.

*Shawn Shirley*
Director of Administrative Computing
Ferrum College Information Services
Office: 540.365.4248 <javascript:void(0);> | Email: sshirley () ferrum edu

Ferrum College | PO Box 1000 | Ferrum, VA 24088



On Wed, Jun 20, 2018 at 4:45 PM Sargent, Joe E <Joe.Sargent () ws edu> wrote:

Earlier today most of our employees received a phishing email that
appeared to be from our president.  After some research we found that were
able view the site structure where the link directed users.  We were the
only school in the list at that time.  As the day has progressed more and
more schools have been built into the structure.  Some schools were there
and then were modified to other schools. So, this is very active.  They
even have a certificate on the site to make it more legitimate.  The PDF in
the email did not have any active content but did contain the link to the
website.  Here are the schools we have seen so far and have not been able
to contact (this appears to still be active with schools being added
throughout the day)…



Central Methodist University

Columbia College in Missouri

Champlain College

Walla Walla Community College

Waldorf University

Middlebury College

Texas A&M University San Antonio



Many of these schools may have already had emails go to their users… Other
maybe not.  Below is the information we have gathered that may help you
protect your users…



Our initial email came from… (might be different for you)  *From:* Robin
Esparza [mailto:resparza () lbschools net <resparza () lbschools net>]



The link in the document directs you to one of these for your school…
(however, we have seen the links change and it is possible that this is not
your school now – see notes below)

Your school will be represented by an abbreviation in the root of the web
site



Mokaortmdesm.club/<yourschool>/index.php

Mokaortmdesm.club/<yourschoolhttps>/index.php



IP address of web site: 89.36.213.44



The method used to ID schools was to go to the link and input fake
information and click submit.  This then sent us to a link at the target
school that would make a user believe the original email was real because
it is policy etc.  We have seen this link change for some schools and later
point to another school.  So, if the link it not there now then look at the
folders at the root of the web site to be sure that your school has not
been moved to another folder.



If you go to the top level of the website you can actually see the
directory structure.  To actually find out where each is pointing to you
have to click the folder/file and then click download on the web site.
Enter fake information and then it will take you to a linked page at the
targeted school.  It took us a while to figure this out.  Again, this is
active and they appear to have made changes to files and links.  We have
seen their processes change as they create more sites.



I hope this helps you.  Apologies if it turns out to be nothing but at
least you can block your users from getting to the web site.



Thank you,

Joe

_____________________________________________________________
Joe Sargent [image: cid:image001.png@01CD9D7C.A1CFD430] Assistant Vice
President for Information and Educational Technologies (IET) and CIO
Walters State [image: cid:image001.png@01CD9D7C.A1CFD430] Jack E.
Campbell College Center Suite 314 [image:
cid:image001.png@01CD9D7C.A1CFD430] 500 South Davy Crockett Parkway

Morristown, TN 37813 [image: cid:image001.png@01CD9D7C.A1CFD430] Voice
(423) 585-6836 [image: cid:image001.png@01CD9D7C.A1CFD430] Fax: (423)
585-2630 [image: cid:image001.png@01CD9D7C.A1CFD430] E-mail:
joe.sargent () ws edu <joey.sargent () ws edu>


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